


Cling On To Love

by PumpkinLily



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: (mostly Freddie), Alternate Universe - 1910s, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Brother-Sister Relationships, Clare is a great sister, Developing Relationship, Edwardian Period, Falling In Love, Freddie is a ghost, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Ghost Sex, Ghosts, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Love Confessions, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Roger Taylor is a great brother, Roger comes from a well-off family, Sort Of, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:55:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22585981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinLily/pseuds/PumpkinLily
Summary: “Do you think he will ever appear?”Roger laughed. “What? I mean, I can believe a poor guy was murdered while he was playing the piano, but you really think his ghost now roam Earth?”‘I do not “roam Earth” pretty boy, I’m stuck with my piano.’Or to be more precise, whenever he wandered too far away, a sort of invisible force blocked him and he was forced to get closer to the instrument if he wanted to be able to move again.“Well, you never know.” Clare kept her smile and sparkling eyes. “I would love to have a conversation with him. Imagine the life he could have had, all the stories he could tell.”
Relationships: Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor
Comments: 16
Kudos: 35





	Cling On To Love

**Author's Note:**

> Some time ago, I got a silly thought/dream, can't remember, it was late at night, but it involved Roger owning a piano and Freddie as a ghost haunting the piano. And them falling in love and having sex. I couldn't get the thing out of my head, and so, this story was born.
> 
> Have a good read!

It had been a while since his piano had an owner. It probably had something to do with mentioning the rumour of the brutal death of his first owner, who was none other than himself, Freddie. Of course he understood it could scare potential clients, but it was more than thirty years ago! His piano wasn’t cursed or anything. Well, technically it was haunted, since he was here, but he wasn’t the kind of malevolent ghost who ruined lives of innocents. 

Yeah, it was annoying, to have not to show himself in front of people, and it was a pity, because several times he had wanted to compliment the skills of the pianist, or even simply talk with them, but the next owner after him almost had a heart attack when he appeared in front of her. He didn’t want to cause people’s death, neither he wanted his beautiful piano to be destroyed because people would fear it’d be possessed by a demon, so he had to stay invisible and simply do little more than watching and listening to people playing his piano.

He didn’t necessarily like changing owners, but it broke the routine of his otherwise uneventful life. This time, it was a young man who got an interest in the piano. Around twenty probably, with a beautiful, quite feminine face, blond hair and clear blue eyes. His mother was distressed about his instrument’s history, but the young man, Roger, didn’t seem to care, and so the piano was bought, and put in his room. 

A young girl who Freddie assumed to be Roger’s little sister, the famous Clare he’d mentioned a few times during his talk with his mother, entered the room and quickly walked over the instrument, admiring eyes and a little smile on her face. She was the spitting image of her brother, for she had the same hair and eye colour, and was equally as pretty.

“So this is your piano. It is magnificent.” Her eyes lingered on the black and white keys. “I want to try it.”

“But how am I supposed to learn piano if you’re the one who plays it?” Roger said, sitting before the instrument.

“We could share. I play, and you watch me.” 

Currently sitting on Roger’s bed, silent and invisible, Freddie couldn’t help but smile. 

Roger chuckled. “The day where you’ll know how to play, maybe.” He stayed silent for a moment, and his expression changed. “You know, this piano has a special history.” 

“Oooh. Enlighten me.”

“It’s a dark history.” Roger said with a lower tone. “The first owner of the piano was apparently murdered while he was playing it.”

 _‘Not “apparently”.’_ Freddie thought as he watched Clare’s eyes open wide.

“Not long after his death, the piano was sold to a woman. It is said that one night, while she was playing the piano, the ghost of a young man appeared right next to her.”

_‘I’m still sorry I scared her so much. She was kind.’_

Roger then mentioned the few other times the ghost would’ve supposedly manifested his presence. Freddie had seen his fair share of people being either horrified, disturbed or indifferent by his supposed apparitions, but it was the first time he saw someone being fascinated like Clare was. 

“A haunted piano.” Usually, when people pronounced these words, they were either dubious or ready to faint, but the young girl spoke like she was ready to solve a mystery. “Incredible. Do you have more information?”

“No, and I think Mother wouldn’t have bought it if she had heard another word. She was quite pale when we left the shop.” 

She frowned, concentrated. “I wonder who this young man was, and what the cause of the murder was.” Her eyes then lightened up. “Do you think he will ever appear?”

Roger laughed. “What? I mean, I can believe a poor guy was murdered while he was playing the piano, but you really think his ghost now roam Earth?”

 _‘I do not “roam Earth” pretty boy, I’m stuck with my piano.’_

Or to be more precise, whenever he wandered too far away, a sort of invisible force blocked him and he was forced to get closer to the instrument if he wanted to be able to move again. 

“Well, you never know.” Clare kept her smile and sparkling eyes. “I would love to have a conversation with him. Imagine the life he could have had, all the stories he could tell.”

 _‘The feeling is mutual dear.’_ Freddie thought with a smile. Not only because he hadn’t have a conversation with someone in a long time, but also because Clare was witty and seemed kind. He appreciated to hear someone who wanted to talk with; although he spent many years observing the people around him, it was difficult to tell who really believed in ghosts, but he could say with certitude quite a number of persons seemed afraid of them. 

Roger smiled, but he didn’t share her enthusiasm. “No, I can’t really imagine, sorry.”

Clare sighed. “You terribly lack imagination, Roger. Or would the ghost interest you more if he was a girl?” She raised a brow. 

A sort of smile appeared on his face. “Clare. Listen, I don’t want to sadden you, but we aren’t in that story of yours, the one you keep talking about-”

“The Canterville Ghost.” She quickly said, with a larger smile and brighter eyes that expressed how much she liked the story. 

_‘Hmm, I haven’t read that one. Or have I?’_ Freddie wondered, as he read quite a lot in his spectral life when no one was around to see books turning pages on their own.

“Right. We don’t live in a world with ghosts, sorry. Besides, even if the ghost was a girl, I don’t think she could take a physical form, so I wouldn’t be able to kiss her or touch her.”

Freddie laughed in silence. Even if he remained hidden for most of his new life, he could very well materialise and physically interact with people like an ordinary human being. The rumours of his apparitions to people weren’t simply rumours. Of course, Roger couldn’t know it.

“Oh I wouldn’t underestimate the powers of spectres if I were you.” Clare said, as if she could sense what he was thinking about. “You don’t know if he is listening to us right now, and he may be planning to visit you already.”

Roger rolled his eyes, and now Freddie was imagining a sweet vengeance by taking off with a kiss the gently doubtful smile he had on his face. Of course, there was little chance Roger would enjoy such a bold act coming from a man, but Freddie didn’t plan on really appearing to him anyway, so dreaming a bit wouldn’t do any harm. It’d been so long since he had a physical contact with someone.

“Miss Clare?” A feminine voice called behind the door. 

“I’m right here, Sarah.” Clare answered without moving from her spot.

“Oh I knew you were here, miss Clare, I simply wanted to inform you that Ms Taylor wanted to talk with you.” 

“Alright.” The young girl seemed sad for a moment, but she quickly gained back her smile. “Alas, Roger, the duty is calling me. But I leave you in good company.”

She played a few light notes on the piano, and left the room with a satisfied smile, under Roger’s touched look. 

“In good company, huh.” He lightly shook his head. “Nonsense.” He then muttered, amused.

Although he still intended not to appear to him, Freddie felt challenged by that declaration. How did he dare? He’d been here, whether as a ghost or a living being, for longer than his existence. Besides, if only he opened his mind and his heart, Freddie would prove him he could be of a very good company. Time for a little payback.

He got up from the bed, moved swiftly towards the young man, and flicked his hair. Roger frowned. He passed his hand in his hair, but his face quickly relaxed and he seemed not to think anything about the light touch he felt. It wasn’t much, but Freddie was nonetheless content with his small gesture.

_‘Be glad I decided not to scare the life out of you, pretty boy.’_

He then decided to leave Roger, and see how far he could move about in the house. The sooner he’d get used to his surroundings, the better. He’d probably stay here for a couple of years.  


  
**-***-**

  


If he had to stay relatively close to his instrument, Freddie still had a significant mobility and could walk around the house he was occupying. Usually, he could even go outside. Sure, his walks were limited to the gardens or the front street, but it always offered a bit of welcomed variety. Although he preferred to stay inside, he especially liked when he could access the gardens. And the Taylor family had a beautiful garden, with a pebble path that weaved between colourful flowers arranged in flowerbeds, a consequent number of roses bushes and a few climbing plants that, just like the rest of the garden, claimed to be wild and spontaneous when they were carefully maintained. Freddie wasn’t a big lover of gardening when he was alive, but given the circumstances he had to live with now, he developed an interest into admiring the gardens and imagining how he could have rearranged them if he owned the land.

Though the gardens weren’t exactly what he spent most of his time admiring these last months.

But he was a musician! It was natural he would spent time by his piano and observe the one who got to play it now with attention. He had to see how Roger progressed. Of course, the young man had some difficulties at the beginning, like anyone would when starting to play an instrument, but he took lessons each week, constantly tried his utmost to get better, motivated by wanting to show his abilities to Clare who often encouraged him and stayed by his side to listen to him. She awaited each piano lesson with impatience, and so did he.

Other than listening to Roger playing piano, he hadn’t much to do during the day, aside from wandering in the garden, reading books, or attending as an invisible pupil Clare’s lessons with her governess. And Roger was often out for his studies, so the times where he sat down and played the instrument were precious. He also enjoyed, almost to the same extend, watching Clare trying to play the piano, using what she remembered from her older brother’s lessons. Even if the results weren’t exactly good, it was endearing to see her try her best.

Music always offered a bit of variety. Even if certain pieces were played regularly, Freddie never get tired of listening to piano. He terribly missed being able to play, but couldn’t, in fear of his presence being discovered, as it had already happened a long time ago. The second rumour of his apparition. At least he could still watch someone else play it; if it couldn’t fulfil his longing, it was always a small and yet important consolation.

Although sometimes, as much as he appreciated listening to someone playing his piano, he was reminded of what was cruelly snatched from him. His life, yes, but maybe even more importantly, his dreams. He never became the creative and talented renowned musician he aspired to be as a child. What he worked so hard to achieve as he grew up died along with him. Even if he eventually became accustomed of his death, certain feelings, mostly sorrow and frustration, never really left his heart.

Watching and listening to Roger also made him think of what could have been, occasionally. But… either enough time had passed, either there was another reason he couldn’t name, it wasn’t the same now. Maybe because he now thought less about himself, and more about Roger. 

Roger often had a smile on his face, had a bright, refreshing personality. He was kind and well-mannered, but had an outspoken and even rebellious side that often didn’t match with his environment. Freddie saw him many times get tired of the proper-behaviour-in-all-situations expected from him, and mess around, make fun of strict, puritan people and certain figures of authority with Clare, who liked to divert from the prim, well-spoken and quiet ladylike attitude she was supposed to present – maybe this was also why he appreciated the young girl that much. He wished he could be part of their little circle of affection, laughs and free discussions. He wished he could be friends with them. Especially with Roger. 

Among the different people who owned his piano over the years, some got his attention and interest more than others. Most of them got a bit of his affection, and he grew really fond of a few of them. The young man was indubitably one of these persons. And his life revolved around the people who owned his piano; the fact he spent quite some time thinking about him, listening to him, watching him, was nothing particular in itself. 

But he knew it was different for Roger.

Maybe the loneliness, the lack of contact and interactions with human beings only exacerbated his longing of being close with him, but Freddie still remembered what it was like to be in love.

It had happened before. He knew only sorrow and a broken heart waited for him. He also knew feelings didn’t disappear like that.

He didn’t know what to do.

Maybe his best solution was to silently enjoy the young man’s company until the inevitable.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it :) Don't hesitate to leave kudos and a comment, they're always appreciated.


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